Xbox 720 Release Date Set for June 11, Specs to be Revealed at E3 2013

The Xbox 720 release date could be as early as June 11. Xbox Live's Larry Hyrb has started the official countdown for the console's launch which is rumored to take place on that date.

(Photo: Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon)

Visitors play with Microsoft's Xbox consoles at the Tokyo Game Show in Chiba, east of Tokyo, in this file photo.

The company is expected to show off the Xbox 720 at this year's E3 video gaming event. However, this unveiling will be quite different from past ones as Microsoft will not use a sequel to any of its successful series to show off the system's power.

So gamers looking to see a new Halo, Gears of War, or Mass Effect will have to wait until the system is out for awhile to see what these games will look line on Microsoft's next-generation gaming console.

There are countless rumors surrounding the Xbox 720; one of them points to the Xbox 720 having the Kinect accessory found on the 360 directly built in to it.

This rumor originated from a leak of illustrations that demonstrated some of the system's features. The leaked images show how the new Xbox system will be able to track four players simultaneously and how it will have stronger integration with the PC and Windows Phone 8.

Microsoft is also reportedly working on Kinect Glasses made specifically for enhancing the experience of the built-in accessory. The glasses can reportedly be used with the system and on-the-go.

Other rumored features for the Xbox 720 include the elimination of a physical disk drive. If this rumor ends up being true, every game purchased for the system will have to be downloaded directly through Microsoft's network. This will put a lot of third-party retailers out of business who make most of their profits off selling used games.

Other companies such as Sony are also rumored to be eliminating physical games.